Best Calamari Recipes

FRIED CALAMARI

Steps:

• Pour enough oil into a heavy large saucepan to reach the depth of 3 inches. Heat over medium heat to 350 degrees F. Mix the flour, parsley, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Working in small batches, toss the squid into the flour mixture to coat. Carefully add the squid to the oil and fry until crisp and very pale golden, about 1 minute per batch. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the fried calamari to a paper-towel lined plate to drain.
• Place the fried calamari and lemon wedges on a clean plate. Sprinkle with salt. Serve with the marinara sauce.
• In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer uncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.
• Add 1/2 the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.
• If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

FRIED CALAMARI

Steps:

• Check calamari for breaks and slice into 1/8- to 1/4-inch rings.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place 2 cups flour in a bowl. Whisk milk and eggs together in a separate bowl. Place remaining 4 cups flour, cornstarch, paprika, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a third bowl; mix thoroughly.
• Toss calamari rings in the plain flour. Move to the egg mixture and thoroughly coat. Move to the seasoned flour and coat fully. Move back to egg mixture if not thoroughly coated; coat with seasoned flour again.
• Submerge floured calamari in the hot oil until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Lift out with a slotted spoon, letting oil drip off. Drain on paper towels. Place calamari in a small bowl; check seasoning. Add parsley and lemon wedge for garnish.

CALAMARI SALAD

Steps:

• Rinse squid under cold running water, then lightly pat dry between paper towels. Halve tentacles lengthwise and cut bodies (including flaps, if attached) crosswise into 1/3-inch-wide rings.
• Cook squid in a 5- to 6-quart pot of boiling salted water , uncovered, until just opaque, 40 to 60 seconds. Drain in a colander and immediately transfer to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking. When squid is cool, drain and pat dry.
• Whisk together lemon juice, vinegar, oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, then stir in onion and let stand 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine squid, olives, tomatoes, celery, and parsley in a large bowl. Toss with dressing and season with salt and pepper. Let stand at least 15 minutes to allow flavors to develop.

BEER-BATTERED CALAMARI WITH GARLIC-LEMON MAYONNAISE

Steps:

• Thoroughly rinse squid; pat dry. Cut into 1/4-inch rings; place in medium bowl. Add 2 chopped garlic cloves, the lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste; stir to coat. Cover; refrigerate at least 30 minutes to marinate.
• Meanwhile, in deep bowl, mix 1 cup of the flour, the olive oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, the red pepper and black pepper to taste. Slowly add beer, stirring gently until batter is smooth. Cover; refrigerate 30 minutes.
• In food processor, place mayonnaise, 1 garlic clove and the lemon juice. Cover; process until garlic is chopped and mixture is blended. Transfer to small bowl; season with salt and black pepper. Stir in basil. Cover; refrigerate until serving time.
• In deep fryer or heavy saucepan, heat 2 inches vegetable oil to 375°F. In shallow bowl, place remaining 1 cup flour. Dip squid rings in flour, shaking off excess, then coat completely with beer batter. Fry squid in batches in hot oil until deep golden brown, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
• Serve calamari hot with Garlic-Lemon Mayonnaise.

CALAMARI SALAD

Steps:

• To a large pot of boiling water, add lemon juice and salt. Add squid rings and cook for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Drain.
• Combine onion, celery, garlic, parsley, olive oil, vinegar and herbs with cooked squid and serve at room temperature or cool.

GRILLED CALAMARI

Steps:

• In a serving bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. Stir in the garlic and whole oregano sprigs.
• Heat a grill pan over the high heat. (Alternatively, you can cook the squid on the grill.) When very hot, add the squid and char each side for 1 minute. Remove from the pan and slice crosswise into 1/4-inch rings, including the tendrils. Add the squid to the lemon sauce. Crack freshly ground pepper over and serve immediately.

CALAMARI WITH TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and cook until lightly brown. Stir in tomato puree, water, red wine, salt, sugar and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguine and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• Stir calamari into the tomato puree mixture. Continue to simmer approximately 15 minutes, until squid is opaque. Check frequently to avoid overcooking squid. Serve squid and sauce over cooked linguine.

CRISPY FRIED CALAMARI & AïOLI

Steps:

• Cut the tentacles off the squid and put in a bowl. Slice the squid tubes into roughly 1cm thick rings and add to the bowl. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pan over a low heat, ensuring it is no more than two-thirds full.
• For the aïoli, mix the mayonnaise, garlic, saffron and lemon juice in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Toss the squid with the flour, cornflour, baking powder, cayenne and ½ tsp salt. When the oil has reached 170C on a thermometer, or when a cube of bread is dropped in and turns golden brown in 30 seconds, deep-fry the squid in batches for 2 mins, or until lightly golden and crisp. Set aside on a tray lined with kitchen paper. Serve the fried squid with the aïoli on the side for dipping.

ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS STUFFED CALAMARI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Rinse the calamari tubes and pat dry.
• In a large bowl, stir together the onions, 6 cloves garlic, shrimp, crabmeat and lemon juice. Spoon some of this mixture into each squid tube and seal the ends by 'sewing' with a toothpick. Arrange in a single layer in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Set aside.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in cream cheese and 2 cloves garlic. Cook and stir until cream cheese has melted. Gradually whisk in the milk. Cook until heated through and then remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese and pepper. Pour over all of the calamari tubes in the baking dish. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of Romano cheese on top of each one.
• Bake uncovered until the cheese is browned and sauce is bubbly. While the calamari is baking, Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguine pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain. Serve the stuffed calamari and sauce over a bed of linguine.

AIR FRYER CALAMARI

Steps:

• Preheat an air fryer to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place flour in a bowl. Whisk egg and milk in a separate bowl. Combine panko, salt, and pepper in a third bowl.
• Coat calamari rings first in flour, then in egg mixture, and finally in panko mixture.
• Place rings in the the basket of the air fryer so that none are overlapping. Work in batches if needed. Spray the tops with nonstick cooking spray.
• Air fry for 4 minutes. Flip rings, spray with nonstick cooking spray, and cook for 3 minutes longer.

FRIED CALAMARI WITH TWO DIPPING SAUCES

Steps:

• 1. in a bowl add the buttermilk, sriracha, and calamari and let soak for up to 4 hours in the fridge
• 2. in a bowl combine the flour, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika and mix together.
• 3. In another bowl beat the eggs
• 4. get your deep fryer to 375 or a pan of oil
• 5. remove the calamari from the buttermilk.
• 6. dip the calamari in the egg and then into the flour mixture and shake off extra. Add the coated calamari to the oil and cook until golden brown. Remove and place on a paper towel or wire rack
• 7. To make the tomato olive dip. add olive oil to a sauce pan and add the onions and garlic, red pepper flakes and cook for a few minutes.
• 8. add the tomato paste, anchovies, olives, canned tomatoes and capers and let cook about 20 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.
• 9. add the parsley and some lemon juice to taste.
• 10. For the old bay aioli dip Combine all ingredients in a bowl and serve Super easy! Super delicious!

CALAMARI SALAD

Steps:

• Chop calamari tentacles; cut body into 1/2-in. rings., In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add anchovies if desired; stir in parsley and garlic. Cook 1 minute. Add wine; stir in mushrooms, if desired, and seasonings. Add calamari; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until calamari is tender, 2-3 minutes. Remove pan from heat; cool slightly., In a serving bowl, toss celery, olives, lemon juice and calamari mixture. May be served warm, or refrigerated and served cold.

CALAMARI ON PASTA

Steps:

• Cut squid bodies in half lengthwise and then cut in half widthwise. If the tentacles are large, cut them in half lengthwise. Set aside.
• Heat olive oil in a large saute pan. Add garlic and shallot and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce, 1/4 cup water and white wine. Cook sauce over high heat for 5 minutes, until it reduces and thickens. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Add all but 1 tablespoon of the parsley to the tomato sauce, lower heat, and simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add linguini or spaghetti and cook until tender (time will vary according to freshness of pasta, but it should take at least 7 minutes). Drain well, shaking colander gently to remove excess moisture.
• Add calamari to tomato sauce, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until just cooked through. Taste for seasoning, and add more salt and pepper, if desired. Add the drained pasta and toss well. To serve, garnish with remaining parsley.

CALAMARI SALAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, red wine vinegar, and garlic.
• In a medium saucepan, bring the wine and water to a low boil. Stir in the squid and cook until opaque, about 2 minutes. Drain and cool.
• In a large bowl, mix the celery, cilantro, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, cucumber, green onions, parsley, jicama, and jalapeno. Toss gently with the squid and the olive oil dressing mixture. Chill until serving.

CALAMARI MARINARA

Steps:

• Drizzle olive oil into saucepan (not over heat). Add onions, Serrano pepper, garlic, anchovy filet, red pepper flakes, and salt. Place pot over medium-high heat. When onions start to sizzle after a minute or so, stir and cook until onions and garlic just start to turn golden, 3 or 4 minutes. Stir in wine.
• Cook until wine is reduced by about half, 3 to 5 minutes. Add clam juice, tomatoes, and oregano. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. When sauce begins to bubble, reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer gently for about 15 minutes.
• Transfer calamari to sauce pot; stir gently. Simmer until calamari are tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain.
• Stir some sauce into the hot, drained pasta. Serve in warm bowls topped with more marinara sauce and grated cheese.

FIVE-SPICE CALAMARI WITH DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• For dipping sauce:
• Combine all ingredients except mayonnaise in processor. Blend well. Transfer to bowl. Stir in mayonnaise. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Whisk before serving.)
• For calamari:
• Pour oil to depth of 3 inches in heavy large pot. Heat to 350°F. Whisk next 4 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Pour buttermilk into another large bowl. Add calamari to buttermilk. Working in batches, remove calamari; dredge in flour mixture. Fry until just crisp, about 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Serve warm with sauce.
• *Available in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets.
• **A blend of ground anise, cinnamon, star anise, cloves and ginger available in the spice section of most supermarkets.

GRAMMY'S CALAMARI SALAD

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix lemon juice, garlic, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
• Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Stir in squid, and cook about 3 minutes, or until tender; drain.
• Toss squid, olives, and celery with the lemon juice mixture. Cover, and chill in the refrigerator until serving.

CALAMARI IN TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut calamari into small strips.
• Place in saucepan and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes (do not add water) Drain all but 1 cup of liquid.
• Add oil, garlic, chili pepper, sauce, parsley and salt.
• Cover and simmer for 25 minutes.
• Add wine and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
• Adjust seasonings to taste.
• Serve over cooked rice or noodles.

CALAMARI SPECIAL

Steps:

• Firstly, prepare a deep-fryer with a good vegetable oil and heat to 375 degrees F, or use a medium size deep frying pan on high heat.
• Defrost calamari and rinse under cold running water.
• Cut calamari into 1/4 inch strips. If using fresh calamari, just cut into 1/4 inch strips. Pat dry calamari with paper towels.
• In a medium size mixing bowl, mix together flour and Panko bread crumbs.
• Add milk to a bowl and dip calamari in the milk.
• Toss calamari strips in flour/crumb mixture just to coat. You do not want to have a heavy coating as it could drop off when frying.
• Flash fry coated calamari in prepared deep-fryer or frying pan for about 15 seconds, deep frying in small amounts.
• In a frying pan, heat 1/2 cup of vegetable oil to medium-high heat.
• Add garlic and Sambal Oelek and stir well, cover with a screen to prevent oil from spattering or splashing.
• Sauté flash-fried calamari for about 1 minute or until nicely light brown. Do not over fry as it could get chewy.
• Serve calamari with your favorite dip.

CALAMARI STEAKS

Steps:

• Use a big skillet, place oil in skillet.
• Beat eggs in shallow bowl.
• Put flour in another shallow pan.
• Seasoned bread crumbs in another pan.
• Salt and pepper Calamari steaks, dip first into flour then into egg, then in to seasoned bread crumbs.
• Fry in hot skillet,turn when brown on first side, brown on other side.
• Serve.
• These COOK FAST-- DO NOT OVER COOK as they will get TOUGH.